The Actor’s Library

Your Reading List

  • Directing Actors: Creating Memorable Performances for Film and Television

    Written by Judith Weston

    This book is ideal for actors, directors or anyone in the business. There is great analysis and pertinent, timely advice.

  • Actors On Acting: The Theories, Techniques, and Practices of the World's Greatest Actors Told in their Own Words

    Edited by Toby Cole and Helen Krich Chinoy

    This book is for the actor who wants to geek out and peruse the history of acting technique through the ages.

  • Secrets of Screen Acting

    Written By Patrick Tucker

    This book has a great chapter on Screen vs Stage acting. Practical and very helpful.

  • A Sense of Direction: Some Observation on the Art of Directing

    Written by William Ball

    Still one of the best books out there for theatre directors, but it has a chapter on Objectives that is just outstanding. It should be required reading for actors.

  • Acting in Film: An Actor's Take on Movie Making

    Written by Michael Caine

    This book is a classic and definitely needs to be in your library. Originally published in 1990, but it remains insightful.

  • The Science of On-Camera Acting

    Witten by Andréa Morris

    Not a book for beginners, but it is a fascinating discussion on creativity and our working memory.

  • The Artist's Way: A Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity

    Written by Julia Cameron

    I am using this as a text in a class I am teaching now, and it’s really a wonderful book. Julia Cameron refers to it a, “A Spiritual Path to Creativity.” It is a self-taught course of sorts and a fantastic way to start 2018!

  • ACTION! Acting for Film and Television

    Written by Robert Benedetti

    Overall good info and super GLOSSARY at the end.

  • Viewpoints

    Written by Anne Bogart

  • The Meisner Collection

    Practitioners of the Meisner approach to acting are often fiendish in their commitment to the technique. I studied it extensively in grad school, and it was intense and rewarding for me. No doubt regardless of your acting approach, it is immensely helpful and can open some wonderful avenues to authenticity.

    If you have not taken a look, then add these books to your READING LIST.

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